77-year-old who was killed in a house fire in Mason identified

MASON, Ohio (WKRC) - A fire in Mason claimed the life of a local man and the dog he never left behind.

The victim, 77-year-old Clyde Isaacs, lost a home to fire before. This time, at his home on West Church Street in Mason, he lost his life with it.

Family members say Isaacs moved to Mason a few years ago after he escaped a mobile home fire in Kentucky.

On Thursday morning, it happened again. This time Isaacs was not able to escape.

Video of a fireball raging from the West Church Street home was captured by Chris Burger on his phone.

Burger called 911 when he saw an orange glow from his bedroom window.

The former firefighter's first instinct was to run to help, but the intensity of the fire left Burger feeling helpless.

By daybreak, firefighters were still putting out hot spots and an investigator with the state fire marshal's office was looking for a possible cause.

The body of 77-year-old Clyde Isaacs was found in his first floor bedroom.

His dog, "Sport," also died.

"He kind of just kept to himself, it was just him and his dog. That dog was his best friend. They took walks everyday. He liked to down to Pine Hill and feed the ducks. In his old age, he started to get dementia and whatnot. He just lived a very simple life," said Isaacs' niece, Jessica Black.

Jessica Black says her uncle was a former chemist who kept to himself and lived a simple life.

Neighbors and friends also said that Isaacs was a friendly guy who was always in his front yard and had a wave for everyone.

His blue tick coon hound "Sport" never left his side. They died together.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and so far, the coroner's office has not ruled on a cause of death.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and the coroner has not ruled on a cause of death.

The deputy fire chief of Mason says the fire may have started in the kitchen area.